Alone
by DatNuttyKid
Summary: Modern AU. Ryoma is a photographer, fresh out college. Xander is a child genius and CEO of Nohr Industries, constantly hidden from the public eye. Both could use a friend.
1. Chapter 1

Ryoma Hoshido. 25 years old and fresh out of college. He's a photographer and, even though he's new to the business, his fresh style has catapulted him to popularity among various businesses, magazines, and modeling agencies.

Outside of his professional life, Ryoma is the eldest of a family of four - Mr. and Mrs. Hoshido died on his 18th birthday, leaving him to raise his younger siblings with only the support of his closest sibling, 23-year-old Hinoka. Takumi, 18, had moved in with a friend almost immediately upon graduating high school, leaving only Sakura, 16, in her older siblings' care. The pressure of attending college and raising Takumi and Sakura had nearly overwhelmed Ryoma, but Hinoka kept him from dropping out and he was now fulfilling his dreams.

At this point in time, Ryoma was grilling dinner. Hinoka was due home from class shortly, Sakura was upstairs in her room, and Takumi was bringing his roommate over to visit for the first time before he headed to his own home for the weekend, so he was making hamburgers and hot dogs. Ryoma had been the cook for the family since his parents died - Hinoka claims she once set fire to a pot of spaghetti and, even though he knew this was (probably) an exaggeration, he trusted her judgment of her skills enough to not let her even try.

Even though it was already nearly autumn, the heat of the day combined with the heat of the grill had overwhelmed him early into the cooking process and he had ditched his signature red jacket and soon even the white tank top under it, seeing as he was more-or-less home alone. If he wasn't outside on a patio where all of his neighbors could see, he would've ditched the gym shorts, too; he was still melting. It was times like these he regretted growing his hair out so long - it was down to his waist untied and he was on the taller side - but he had looked like this for so long, he wasn't sure he would be as successful as a photographer if he got a haircut.

"I'm home!" Hinoka called as she walked in the front door. Ryoma turned from the grill to wave her over.

"How was class?" he asked as she came through the patio door, holding out his arms to hug her. She dodged backward.

"Good," she responded. "And there is no way I'm hugging you before you put on some clothes." She paused and sniffed the air. "And maybe not even after. You're planning on showering before Takumi and Leo get here, right?"

Ryoma frowned. "Do I smell that bad?" Hinoka pinched her nose and nodded. Ryoma rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll go shower once I get the burgers off the grill. Tell Sakura to set the table."

...

Ryoma hummed a tune as he scrubbed his body with a soapy wash cloth. After rinsing, he shut off the water and pulled back the shower curtain to see Takumi leaning in the doorframe.

"Holy-" Ryoma said, stumbling backward in his surprise at seeing Takumi and quickly snagging a towel. "Seriously? Some privacy would be nice."

"Hinoka won't let us eat until you come downstairs and I'm starving," Takumi stated, ignoring Ryoma's reaction. "Come downstairs."

"Can I get dressed first?" Ryoma asked, gesturing to the towel.

"Fine, but hurry up," Takumi said, walking away. Ryoma rolled his eyes at his brother's bluntness.

...

"About time," Hinoka said as Ryoma came down the stairs. "Did you finish your beauty treatment?"

Ryoma glared at her. "You're the one who told me I had to shower," he complained, pulling out the chair at the head of the table. Hinoka and Takumi sat to his immediate right and left with Sakura and Leo beside them, respectively.

Takumi cleared his throat awkwardly. "Ryoma, have you met Leo?"

Understanding, Ryoma snapped to a professional posture and turned to Leo. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure. I'm Ryoma, Takumi's older brother."

"It's nice to meet you," Leo replied. His voice was calm but Ryoma recognized some damage that he speculated may have come from yelling which, in turn, might be a sign of anger issues. This was masked by a strong British accent, indicating a recent European family history. Ryoma kept these observations to himself for the moment, smiling politely. "I have to admit," Leo said awkwardly, scratching behind his ear. "I always found it strange you didn't make an effort to get to know me. The way Takumi has described you, you see quite… protective."

Ryoma chuckled, though he made a mental note to ask Takumi later exactly how he had been "describing" him. "Yes, well, I trust Takumi's judgment. If he's willing to move in with you, he must trust you quite a bit." Ryoma paused, considered the consequences, then added: "And Hinoka stalked you online, just to be safe."

"I did not!" Hinoka shouted back. Ryoma laughed, entirely aware that he was completely embarrassing Takumi.

"So tell me about yourself," he continued. "What are you attending college for?"

"Business and accounting," Leo replied, a small, proud smile appearing. "I hope to take over the family business some day."

"Ah, yes, your older brother is the founder and CEO of Nohr Industries, right?" Ryoma asked.

"That's right."

"Speaking of the family business," Takumi said, interrupting Ryoma before he could say anything else, "didn't you have something you wanted to ask Ryoma?"

Leo's eyes lit up. "I nearly forgot. You're a photographer, right?"

Ryoma nodded tentatively. "That's correct."

"My older brother wanted me to ask if you would be willing to do a photoshoot with him," Leo explained. "Something about 'getting his face out there'. You would be paid, of course."

Ryoma considered this. From what he knew about Nohr Industries, its CEO, Xander Nohr, was constantly out of the public eye. Leo was one of three younger siblings who had little connection to the company besides their surname. The second oldest, Camilla, was a famous model. The youngest, Elise, was a child actress. Whenever they were asked about their oldest brother, they would clam up and leave the interview. People spread a lot of rumors about Xander - what he looked like, his personality, his friends, his relationships - but no one had ever gotten any facts on him. Ryoma could be the first. "I'll have to check my schedule," he finally responded. "But have your brother contact me. I'll give you my card before you go."

...

"Thank you for having me over," Leo said as he made his way to the door.

"I'll walk you to the car," Takumi offered, following close behind.

Ryoma smiled. "No funny business while you're out there alone," he called. Takumi didn't turn around before slamming the door, but Ryoma knew he was blushing furiously.

"You really shouldn't tease him so much," Hinoka commented, punching Ryoma in the arm. Ryoma just chuckled.

"It's almost like they're brothers," he said, partially changing the topic.

Hinoka nodded. "Takumi isn't usually good at making friends. I'm glad he found him." They sat in silence for a moment. Sakura had excused herself to her room to finish studying shortly after dinner and was almost certainly asleep by now. "Have you ever thought about..." Hinoka said but stopped herself from finishing the sentence.

Ryoma cocked an eyebrow. "Thought about what?"

"Oh, er," Hinoka looked embarrassed. "Finding... you know, someone who makes you happy."

This time, it was Ryoma's turn to blush. "What are you talking about?"

"You haven't dated since... since we lost mom and dad," Hinoka said. "You put all of your time into work and family. You don't even have any friends. It can't be healthy."

"I'm friends with Saizo and Kagero-"

"They're your coworkers. Have you ever actually gone to dinner with them? Or asked them about their life?"

Ryoma knew he couldn't refute this, as painful as it sounded for her to say. "Don't worry about me. I can handle myself."

"Okay," Hinoka said. "But think about it, okay?" She gave him a hug before heading upstairs to bed. Ryoma sat in the room alone for a few minutes, thinking over what she said. Maybe he did need a significant other. But if he was being completely honest with himself, he wasn't all that interested in dating. Even before his parents died, he had never been attracted to anyone - he occasionally would attend a movie with a group of friends where one girl would hold his hand, but he had never even had his first kiss.

His thoughts were interrupted by Takumi returning through the door. "Did you kiss him goodbye?" he asked teasingly. Takumi's face turned red.

"We're just friends."

Ryoma grinned but didn't push the issue. "Here, take a seat. Let's talk."

Takumi looked nervous as he pulled a chair out and sat across from Ryoma. "What? Is something wrong?"

"No," Ryoma assured him. "I just want to talk about Leo some. Has he ever... yelled at you?"

Takumi raised an eyebrow. "Uh... I mean... we've gotten into fights, but... Why do you ask?"

"No reason in particular," Ryoma assured him. "He just seems... angry. I wanted to make sure he wasn't hurting you."

"I think I can handle myself," Takumi replied. Ryoma smiled. It was amazing how similar they were, yet so different.

"So what do you know about Xander?" Ryoma asked, changing the topic.

"Not a lot," Takumi admitted. "I haven't met him and Leo doesn't talk about him much. To be honest, the only reason he came up was that of the possibility of you doing a photoshoot. Why? Do you think you'll do it?"

"I think it would be interesting," Ryoma responded. "Seeing what rumors are true and what rumors are just that. And it would be good for my career to be the first one to see the man behind the curtain of Nohr Industries and spread that information to the general public." And maybe, just maybe…

Xander could be the friend he needed.

 **this is my first real AU? i'm kind of stressing about publishing this?**

 **Besides that, leave a review if you liked it! And if you didn't, tell me why. I'd love to hear your criticism!**

 **And lastly, please be aware that I have a writing Tumblr! Head over to datnuttykid-writes (dot tumblr dot com) for news whenever I post a new story, chapter, or just to socialize with me and learn more.**


	2. Chapter 2

Xander Nohr. 26 years old. Having graduated college at age 16, he disappeared from the public eye shortly after founding Nohr Industries, a multi-million dollar nationwide company.

Xander's father had many wives before his death and, as a result, Xander ended up with three half-siblings. After graduating high school at age 12, Xander moved in with his biological mother to attend college and received the news of his father's death during this time, though he did not return home until he was 21. Even then, he used his funds to buy multiple homes around the country including his childhood home - this allowed him to move from place to place and avoid being recognized as the CEO of Nohr Industries.

His oldest sister, Camilla, was 24 and practically raised Leo, age 18, and Elise, age 15, after their father's death - though her biological mother was made their legal guardian, she cared little for her well-being. Once Camilla turned 18, she won custody and took Leo and Elise back to their childhood home. Once they were old enough to care for themselves, she began a modeling career, though she was still home every evening to make dinner.

Leo was visiting from his home with Takumi for the weekend, so Camilla insisted that Xander come home, too. Wearing a disguise, Xander flew in economy class to avoid drawing attention to himself. Elise and her agent were waiting at the airport to pick him up and drive him home in her limo.

"There he is!" Elise squealed as he emerged from his flight. She ran over and hugged him, though her short stature compared to his much taller one allowed her to barely reach his waist.

"Elise, we talked about this," Xander growled under his breath. "You can't blow my cover."

Elise rolled her eyes and pulled back. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Come this way, _Mr. Johnson_." She walked back to her agent, Xander close behind.

"Hi," the agent, a tall, well-built woman with white hair, greeted, offering her hand to shake. "My name is Effie, I'm Elise's agent. May I say, it is an honor to meet you... Mr. Johnson."

"Yes, well," Xander said, shaking Effie's hand, "I'm very pleased to be the tutor for such a talented young girl." This was this lie they agreed upon. It was almost certain there was paparazzi somewhere, watching Elise, but this way, only Elise, Xander, and Effie would know that Xander was her mysterious older brother.

"The limo is right this way, Mr. Johnson," Effie said. "Come along, Elise."

...

Once they were safely behind tinted glass and on the road, Xander removed part of his disguise. Ignoring Elise's desperation to talk and catch up, he turned to Effie. "Thank you for playing along, Ms..."

"Please, just call me Effie," she insisted. "And the pleasure was all mine, Mr. Nohr."

"Xander," Xander said. Effie was quite flustered knowing that, not only was she one of very few people to meet the real Mr. Nohr, but she was also permitted to refer to him by his first name.

"Big brother," Elise whined.

"Yes, hello, Elise," Xander said, smiling as he wrapped her in a hug. "I've missed you, too. But I've watched every episode of your new series."

"You have?" Elise gasped. "What did you think?"

Xander smiled sheepishly. The series in question was aimed at 9- to 14-year-old girls. "Well, it's not really my style. But I enjoyed seeing you."

"We're almost at your house, Ms. Nohr," the driver, Arthur, called. Xander reluctantly gathered his disguise and put it back on.

"Effie, I hope you know you're invited to stay for dinner," he said.

"Thank you very much, Mr- err, Xander, but I don't want to intrude on your little family reunion," she said, smiling politely.

"Very well. It was very nice meeting you anyhow."

"And you as well."

As Xander and Elise climbed out of the limo, Elise whispered to Xander, "You two would be a super cute couple!" Xander just blushed.

...

"Camilla, we're home!" Elise called as she walked (more like skipped) through the door. Xander quickly shut the door behind him and double-checked that the curtains and blinds were pulled before taking off his disguise. Camilla rounded the corner from the kitchen to wrap Elise in a hug.

"Go set the table and we'll talk about your day over dinner, okay?" she said. Elise nodded and ran off, leaving Camilla to walk over to Xander.

"Hey," he greeted, not sure what to expect from her. Her response was to raise her hand and slap him across the face. "I deserve that."

"Yes, you deserve that, you ungrateful dastard," she growled, her elegant British accent failing to mask this much rage, though she still managed to keep it quiet enough that Elise was not likely to hear. "It's been three months since you came home."

"I've sent letters-"

Camilla huffed. "How hard would it be to come see us face-to-face? And what the hell is with this silly disguise?"

"Camilla, you must understand," Xander pleaded. "I'm trying to protect you. You don't know what might happen if-"

"No, I don't think that's the issue," she interrupted. "I think the issue is that _you_ don't know. And you're masking your fear of the unknown with this silly facade of protection." She stopped herself and took a deep breath. "Go upstairs. There's a clean outfit for you on the bed. Leo will be home shortly, then we'll eat." With this, she turned on her heels and returned to the kitchen.

...

Xander unbuttoned his rumpled shirt and threw it into the hamper. Long airplane flights always left him feeling a bit dirty, which Camilla clearly knew - she was always pretty good at keeping up with her siblings' needs. The outfit she laid out for him consisted of a white button-up, a black vest, and khakis, though he was a bit flustered that she had also laid out a pair of fresh boxers. Once again double-checking that the curtains and blinds were pulled, he undid his jeans.

Camilla's words ran through his head as he attempted to assure himself that she was wrong, that the steps he took to keep himself out of the public eye was what was best for the family, though he couldn't shake the idea that she was right. He flashed back to a conversation he had had with Leo nearly a month prior when he was asking about Takumi and his family. He had suggested that Leo ask Takumi's older brother, Ryoma, a photographer, to do a photoshoot with Xander. After suggesting it, he regretted it - now he wondered if perhaps it would be for the best.

Shaking this train of thought off as he tossed his dirty underwear into the hamper and reached for the clean pair, Xander thought back to what Elise had said. It had been some time since he dated - the only people who knew who he was besides family were his assistants, Laslow and Peri, and now Effie. Effie was certainly a beautiful young woman and Xander would be lying if he said he wasn't attracted to her. But he didn't just want to hook up with the first attractive woman he met. Before he could invest in a girlfriend, he needed to know he could trust them.

Xander abandoned this train of thought as well as he tucked his shirt into his khakis and zipped them up. He took a look in the mirror to make some final adjustments to his vest and hair, then headed downstairs.

...

Camilla, Elise, and Leo were already sitting at the table when Xander arrived. The fourth chair at the table was left empty for him, with a plate of steak and potatoes already made. "Sorry for the delay," he said as he took his seat. No one responded but they all began to eat once he was seated. Xander sat in silence and watched them for a few moments before clearing his throat. "So, Leo, how have you been?"

"Fine, thank you," he replied simply, barely looking up. The tension could be cut with a butter knife.

"Are you and Takumi getting along well?" Camilla asked. "It's been some time since you brought him over. He hasn't changed too much, has he?"

Leo smiled. "No, it's still the same old Takumi. We're doing okay. He got a job as a cashier to help make some money so that neither of us has to drop out of college. I've applied to a couple places, too, but I haven't heard back yet."

"If you need financial help, I could always supply some," Xander quickly interjected. This time, Leo did look up at him.

"No, thank you," he said simply after a beat. "I'd rather learn to support myself."

His words were far from insulting, but his tone left Xander feeling a bit hurt.

Camilla was quick to change the topic. "Elise, you had something you wanted to talk about today, right?"

Elise's eyes lit up. "Oh! Yes! You'll never believe who was guest starring!"

As Elise began to chatter, Camilla and Leo attentively nodding and grinning at appropriate points, Xander zoned out as he once again started considering what Camilla told him. Finally, he came to a decision. A rather long lull in the conversation alerted him that Elise was done speaking, so he, again, cleared his throat.

"Leo, you had dinner with Takumi's family yesterday, didn't you?"

Leo looked confused. Xander speculated that his younger brother didn't expect him to remember that. "Uh, yes."

"Did you, by any chance, have a chance to ask Ryoma about that thing we discussed?"

The entire table was paying attention now. "Thing?" Elise asked. "What thing?"

"You mean the-?" Leo questioned. Xander nodded. "I didn't think you would bring it up again."

"Bring what up again?" Elise was getting impatient now.

"Xander, is there something you'd like to tell us?" Camilla asked, calmly pressuring him.

"Well, Takumi's older brother is a rather famous photographer," Xander explained. "I thought perhaps he could do a photoshoot with me for Nohr Industries. Get my face out there a little. Let people get to know me better."

Camilla's jaw nearly dropped. Elise's eyes lit up. "Really? No more sneaking around?"

Xander chuckled. "Well, if Ryoma agrees to it."

Leo took this as his cue to rejoin the conversation. "He said he would look at his schedule and asked me to get you in contact with him. I have his phone number... hold on a second..." He began to search through his pockets.

"Xander, are you sure about this?" Camilla asked once she regained her ability to speak.

"It would be good for us to have a change of pace," Xander responded. Truthfully, he didn't think he could answer Camilla's question in a straightforward manner. He wasn't sure about this at all. Leo handed him a business card and he glanced over it. All of Ryoma's contact information was right in front of him - all he had to do now was make contact.

…

It was already well past midnight and Xander was still staring at the card. He had put it off as long as he could - if he didn't do it now, it would never happen. Of course, at such an unholy hour, he had a fairly well-reasoned excuse to not call Ryoma directly. Instead, he decided to send an email.

 _To whom it may concern,  
My name is Xander Nohr. My younger brother, Leo, recently gave me Mr. Hoshido's contact information so that I may communicate and possibly schedule a photoshoot with him for the promotion of Nohr Industries.  
I look forward to hearing back from you.  
Xander Nohr, CEO of Nohr Industries_

Xander glanced over the email a few more times before clicking send. Certain that he wouldn't be hearing back until the following day at the earliest, he undressed and prepared for bed - however, as he pulled back the blankets to prepare to lay down, his phone buzzed with the notification that he had received a response.

 _Dear Mr. Nohr,  
I would be honored to do a photoshoot with you. My schedule is not particularly full at the moment so I believe I should have plenty of time available. If you are still awake, perhaps we could talk over the phone? If not, I will be available tomorrow between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM PT.  
Ryoma Hoshido_

Xander scowled as he read it. Of course he would be awake.

He took a moment to get his thoughts together before pulling out the business card again and dialing the number in his phone. He took a deep breath as it rang once…

Twice…

Thrice…

 **Honestly, the Nohr family is a lot of fun to write in this context. I usually prefer the Hoshidan characters but I am very attached to these people now.**

 **Please leave a review and let me know what you thought! I'm open to any criticism.**


	3. Chapter 3

"This is Ryoma. How may I help you?"

Xander took a deep breath before responding, "Yes, hello, Mr. Hoshido. This is Xander Nohr, following up on your email a few minutes ago."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Nohr! I'm glad to hear back from you," Ryoma said.

The time between response email and phone call hadn't been long enough for Xander to completely process a plan but he did have an idea for how to at least give himself some extra time. "Before we go forward with the photoshoot, I'd like to gain a better understanding of you personally to make sure you can be trusted."

"Right, I understand."

"I will be in Los Angeles this weekend spending time with family. Perhaps after that, we could meet somewhere for dinner?"

"Los Angeles? Well, we could just-" There was a pause as Ryoma caught himself and considered what he was offering. "I live in Pasadena. Would you be interested in joining my siblings and I for dinner Sunday evening?"

Xander considered this. It would certainly give him the chance to get to know Ryoma personally. But that would give him hardly twenty-four hours of preparation. Despite himself, he responded, "That sounds fine."

"Oh, great! I'll email you the details, alright?"

"Very well. I'll see you Sunday. Good night." Xander cringed as he hung up. What had he gotten himself into…?

…

"He actually went through with it?" Takumi asked, mouth agape.

"I'm as surprised as you are," Ryoma replied. He was smiling proudly, waving a piece of paper with the information he and Xander had discussed the night before scribbled upon it, as his siblings gathered to hear the exciting news he had.

"Th-That's amazing, big brother!" Sakura said, standing to give Ryoma a hug.

"I also, errr… invited over to our house for a preliminary meeting," Ryoma added, gauging Hinoka's reaction. "He'll be by tomorrow night."

"This is a great opportunity, Ryoma!" Hinoka said cheerfully, much to his relief, as she put a hand on his shoulder. "One of the youngest and most successful businessmen in the country is coming over so you can do an exclusive photoshoot with him. I can hardly believe it." She paused. "I hope you realize you're on bathroom cleaning duty to prepare for him to come over." Ryoma scowled.

…

"Mr. Nohr?" the gray-haired man called as he knocked on the front door.

"Shut it, Laslow!" his companion, a young woman with cotton candy-colored hair pulled into messy twintails, whispered angrily. "Mr. Xander specifically said no one can know he's here. You want someone to hear you shouting?"

Laslow took a deep breath. "Mr. _Leo_ Nohr? Are you there?"

The door soon opened, revealing a very confused Camilla. "Laslow? Peri? Why are you here?"

"Ah, Miss Camilla!" Laslow greeted, his signature charming smile quickly appearing on his face. "Fancy meeting you here."

Camilla rolled her eyes. "It _is_ my house, Laslow. But enough of your childish games. Answer my question, if you please."

"We need to speak with your brother!" Peri responded quickly.

Camilla squinted. "Which one?"

Laslow and Peri shared an anxious glance. "Err… Leo, apparently," Laslow answered with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I see," the eldest Nohrian woman responded, accompanied by a teasing smile. "Well, unfortunately, Leo isn't home-"

"Camilla!" came Xander's shout from beyond the threshold. "Let them in!"

Camilla sighed, disappointed. "Spoilsport. Come along, you two." She stepped out of the way, allowing Xander's flustered assistants to enter, Laslow glancing over his shoulder for any signs of a camera watching. " _Leo_ is upstairs in his room," she directed sarcastically.

"Thank you, madam," Laslow said, bowing and kissing her hand. Camilla and Peri rolled their eyes.

…

"You did _what?!_ " both assistants gasped simultaneously when Xander broke the news, though their tones were clearly different.

"I hired a photographer to do an article on me," Xander repeated.

Laslow shook his head. "Call him back. Cancel it. You can't go through with this."

"No, no!" Peri interrupted, smacking her hand over Laslow's mouth. "I like this! Everyone gets to know the real Mr. Xander! Good idea!"

Laslow tried to move his companion's hand away from his mouth to little avail, though he did eventually manage to move it enough to say, "Nohr Industries thrives on the mystery! Every tabloid, magazine, and gossip website speculates daily on the face behind the financial giant. Once you've spoiled that, the buzz is dead!"

"That's not true," Peri said, moving her hand to her hip. "Mr. Xander is a genius. Everyone loves his products. And once they find out he's charming and handsome, too, they'll love it even more!"

"We'll be just like everyone else. We haven't had any real competition for a decade. Who knows how we'll fare when we're not unique?"

"You're just a pessimist, Laslow."

"I'm a _realist_."

"Oh, yeah? Well, you're also a big-"

Xander raised his hand, silencing the bickering pair immediately. Laslow and Peri had been his trusted companions for years thanks largely to the differing opinions they provided; however, after so long of having such arguments, they quickly learned not to go beyond Xander's first warning. The duo stared anxiously as Xander moved his hand to his chin thoughtfully.

"I'll keep both of your advice in mind," he said finally. "The decision isn't final… yet. I'm meeting him at his house for dinner tomorrow night. I would appreciate it if you accompanied me."

Peri's eyes lit up. "Ooooh! Yay, that sounds fun!"

"If you will it, sir," Laslow replied. "Uh, are we still planning on keeping a low profile on our way there?"

"Of course," Xander answered. "I'm bringing Elise, too. If I change my mind, we'll pass it off as a meeting between her and Mr. Hoshido." He walked over to the nearby desk and sat down. "Elise's driver will be over with the limo at 6:30 tomorrow. Be here at least fifteen minutes before that." Understanding they were dismissed, Laslow and Peri scurried away.

Once they were gone, Xander propped his head on his fists, deep in thought. There was one hole with his plan. Finally, he took a deep breath, pulled out his phone, and dialed a number. "Is Effie there? … Yes, this is Xander Nohr. I'd like to follow up on my offer from yesterday…"

…

"Remind me again why you're forcing me to come grocery shopping with you," Hinoka questioned, following Ryoma with her arms crossed like a pouting child.

"Because I like having you around to talk to," Ryoma responded with a cheeky grin as he grabbed something off the top shelf.

Hinoka rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever. What's the real reason?"

"You can help me pick out the right ingredients."

"Spaghetti. Fire. Try again."

"I need your help carrying everything."

Hinoka gestured to Ryoma's towering, muscular figure, then to her own comparatively scrawny one.

"You made me clean the bathroom alone."

"That's fair." They continued to walk in silence for a brief time, giving Ryoma the chance to think about the upcoming evening. Getting the exclusive chance to reveal the secrets of Nohr Industries to the general public could make his career. But if the dinner didn't go well, that chance would be lost. There was a lot of pressure riding on this.

His train of thought was broken when Hinoka suddenly said, "Oh my gosh! Oboro, is that you?" Ryoma's eyes flew to where Hinoka was looking and landed on the blue-haired girl she was speaking to. Sure enough, it was Oboro, one of Takumi's friends from high school.

"Wow! Hinoka, hi!" The boy Oboro was standing with followed her over as she hugged Hinoka. Ryoma watched awkwardly. "You remember Hinata, right?"

"Of course! Wow, I almost didn't recognize you!" Another one of Takumi's friends. As almost perfect opposites, Oboro and Hinata made quite the pair: Oboro was short and thin while Hinata was tall and muscular (though still fairly small next to Ryoma). Oboro was calm and refined while Hinata was energetic and careless. Oboro was fashionable while Hinata probably hadn't washed the tank top and torn jeans he was wearing in days.

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Hoshido," Hinata said, stopping Ryoma's train of thought once again.

"You too," Ryoma replied with a friendly smile. "I haven't seen either of you since… Takumi's junior year, I guess. Are you still keeping in touch?"

Oboro frowned. "Uh, not really," Hinata remarked with a sheepish smile. "Just been so busy with college, you know?"

"Of course," Hinoka replied, nodding. "It's your freshman year, you must be swamped! So where are you two going to college?"

Ryoma just smiled and nodded politely as Hinoka, Oboro, and Hinata continued to talk up a storm. His thoughts, of course, drifted back to his upcoming dinner with Mr. Nohr. During their initial email chain, Xander had included some ground rules - all windows must be covered with blinds and/or dark curtains, anything discussed during dinner is private, and no one besides Ryoma, his three siblings, and Xander's entourage could be present for dinner - as well as what he liked to eat. It made sense that Xander was being so picky since he was a rich, young businessman who had lived his entire life privately up to this point. Ryoma honestly expected him to be pickier than he was.

"Well, we'd better get back to shopping," Oboro finally said.

"Right, of course," Hinoka replied. "It was great seeing you two again! I'll let Takumi know you said hi."

"Heh, uh… thanks," Hinata said with a nervous chuckle before he and Oboro disappeared.

Ryoma watched them go. "Did they seem… strange to you?"

"A little," Hinoka answered. "I wonder…"

"Wonder what?"

"Nothing. What's next on the list?"

…

This was the third time Xander had redone his tie. Not that he could help it. He was horribly anxious for this meeting. What if he decided against doing the photoshoot and Ryoma spilled his secrets anyway? Sure, he could sue, but that would only confirm everything to the general public. What if he did do the photoshoot and Laslow was right? Could this destroy the company he had been building for ten years?

"You're panicking," Camilla noted calmly, her reflection appearing next to his in the mirror. "Take a deep breath." Xander sighed frustratedly but didn't stop her when she took over tying his tie. "What are you so concerned about, anyway?"

"Nothing," he insisted. "I'm fine."

Camilla rolled her eyes, though she knew better than to try to push the issue. Once Xander had put up the wall, there was no breaking it down. "There," she said, making the final adjustment to the tie. "Handsome as always. You'll be great."

"Thank you, Camilla," Xander said.

She smiled. "That's what I'm here for."

Their moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. "That must be Laslow and Peri," Xander remarked. "Would you let them in, please? Without the interrogation, preferably."

"Fine," Camilla replied. "They're so fun to tease, though. Always so serious."

"Serious? Laslow and Peri?" Xander almost laughed.

"Well, maybe that's the wrong word. But you know what I mean." Before she opened the door, Camilla took a second to appreciate the fact that Xander was actually smiling. She knew once Laslow and Peri were inside he would be back to business mode. And sure enough, as soon as the door was opened, his smile vanished as he rounded the corner to avoid being spotted.

"Miss Camilla! We meet again." Laslow actually bowed upon greeting her. Camilla had to admit, his flirtations were flattering, even though she knew he flirted with every woman he met. "You're looking lovely as usual."

She chose not to reward him with a response. "Elise and _Mr. Johnson_ are still getting ready. Come in, have a seat." Once the door was closed behind them, Xander emerged from hiding.

"Wow! You look great, Mr. Xander!" Peri remarked.

"Quite dashing, indeed," Laslow agreed.

"Thank you," Xander replied. "Now, are we clear on what is happening tonight?"

Peri nodded eagerly. "Miss Elise's limo will be here in fifteen minutes. Me, you, Laslow, and Miss Elise take the limo to Mr. Ryoma's house."

Laslow added, "During dinner, Peri and I will make small talk with Mr. Hoshido and his siblings to try and learn more about them and whether Mr. Hoshido's interest is entirely professional or not. If he tries to ask a question about you, we will skillfully change the subject unless you signal us otherwise."

"Looks like everything will go exactly to your script," Camilla remarked with a roll of the eyes as she retreated upstairs to help Elise.

"Very good," Xander replied to Laslow and Peri, ignoring his sister. "But there is one other thing. We will also be joined by Elise's agent, Effie."

Laslow cocked an eyebrow. "Sir, not to question you, but do you really want to add another variable to this plan? And if she's joining us for dinner, that means you're revealing your identity to her."

"No, actually, it doesn't." Xander took a deep breath and prepared for Laslow's reaction. "She already knows."

"What?" His eyes were wide now. "How? And for how long? It could already be leaked to the press-"

"It was a necessity for coming home to see my family," Xander interrupted, causing the gray-haired man to lean back, cross his arms, and pout. "Elise trusts her. And… so do I."

Peri gasped and her eye twinkled but she didn't say anything, even when Xander and Laslow looked at her in confusion. Fortunately for her, before they could question her any further, Elise appeared at the top of the stairs. "I'm readyyyyy!" she chirped, twirling her dress. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful," "Wonderful!" "Pretty!" "Gorgeous, of course," came the responses. Elise acted embarrassed, even though she loved the attention.

A knock on the door signaled that Arthur and Effie had arrived. Xander hurriedly applied his disguise and they were gone. "Have a good time," Camilla called after them.

"We will!" Elise replied. "Bye, big sister!"

Camilla smiled fondly as they disappeared into the limo. Once they were out of sight, she closed the door and made her way to the couch to take a seat. Leo wandered downstairs in a vest and grabbed his shoes.

"Where are you going all dressed up?" Camilla asked as he tied them. Of course, she realized that this was hardly "dressed up" for Leo. The boy didn't know the definition of casual.

"Odin and Niles wanted to catch up while I'm in town," Leo replied. "I'll be back later tonight."

Camilla nodded. "Have fun." And with that, she had the house to herself. She smiled calmly and leaned back, propping her feet up on the table and sighing deeply. She retained this position for a brief moment before remarking, "This is terribly boring." As she stood up and grabbed her coat, she dialed a number on her phone. "Hi, Corrin? Are you home?"

…

Ryoma was running around the house like a chicken with his head cut off as Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura watched from the table. He was muttering things to himself about the various tasks that still needed to be completed.

"Sh-should we help?" Sakura asked anxiously as Ryoma made another pass through the dining room, grabbing the comb he had laid down on just his last trip through.

"I think we'd get run over," Takumi replied.

Hinoka shook her head and stood up, grabbing Ryoma by the shoulder as he returned to the kitchen and forcing him to stop. "Calm down. Stressing out is just going to make you forget something."

"How am I supposed to not stress?" he asked, wiping sweat from his brow. "The macaroni isn't done cooking yet and I haven't even started on the potatoes. I have to find at least three more chairs to fit around the table. The floor needs swept again already. My hair is a mess. And he'll be here in less than thirty minutes."

"You're also not wearing any pants," Takumi added. Ryoma looked down and groaned.

"It'll be fine. You go get dressed. Takumi can finish dinner."

"What?!"

Hinoka smacked him, not looking away from Ryoma, and continued nonchalantly, "Sakura and I will handle cleaning and get the table set. Everything will be ready by the time Mr. Nohr gets here, I promise."

Ryoma took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. Thanks."

"No problem," Hinoka replied as he disappeared up the stairs.

"How am I supposed to finish cooking?" Takumi questioned angrily.

Hinoka rolled her eyes. "It's macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. How hard can it be?"

"You set spaghetti on fire."

"Good point. Google it."

…

Every's breathing hitched when the doorbell rang. Ryoma dove for a mirror and began smoothing wrinkles in his outfit and brushing his hair down again. Sakura's face turned red as she shifted her weight back and forth on her feet. "Is someone going to get the door?" Takumi questioned. Hinoka shoved him towards the door before disappearing into the kitchen. He scowled, took a moment to smooth his own wrinkly clothes, then opened the door.

"Hello," Effie greeted politely as Xander had asked her to. "I'm Elise Nohr's agent. Thank you for having us over." Takumi cocked an eyebrow as his eyes scanned the group. None of them looked like Leo's older brother.

"Uh, yeah, no problem," he stuttered, mentally smacking himself for that terrible response. "Come in, have a seat. The food is almost ready."

Once he closed the door behind them, Takumi practically ran to the table, grabbing Sakura's wrist along the way, and took his seat. Xander began to remove his disguise as Ryoma rounded the corner.

"Hello, I'm Ryoma," he said, offering his hand. "Thank you for coming over." He waited to see who would step forward to shake his hand, his eyes falling on Xander. Instead, Laslow stepped forward.

"Laslow," he said. "Mr. Nohr's assistant. This is my colleague, Peri; Mr. Nohr's younger sister, Elise; and Effie, Elise's agent."

"It's nice to meet you," Ryoma said. "I suppose this is Mr. Nohr, then?" he asked, offering his hand directly to Xander. Xander hesitated but accepted the handshake.

"That's me," he said, an awkward smile appearing. "It's good to meet you in person."

Laslow watched this uncomfortable exchange before moving towards the table. "Are these your siblings?"

"Ah, yes," Ryoma replied, following the gray-haired man. "This is my younger brother, Takumi, and my younger sister, Sakura. Hinoka is in the kitchen finishing up." He cleared his throat. "Hinoka?"

The woman in question slowly rounded the corner. "Hi," she said, shaking Laslow's hand. "It's nice to meet all of-" Her voice cracked when she saw Xander. Xander's eyes went wide. Laslow and Peri both looked concerned.

"Big brother?" Elise whispered, tugging on his sleeve. "Is something wrong?"

Xander took a deep breath, tugged on his tie, then stepped over to Hinoka. "Miss Hinoka. Long time, no see."

 _ **dun dun dunnnnn**_

 **Excited to expand the cast! Once we get out of Ryoma and Xander's oh-so important introductions, I'll give Hinoka, Takumi, Sakura, Camilla, Leo, and Elise some more focus. We probably won't see Hinata or Oboro again until then. Corrin will, of course, be a little more involved with everyone's life. The other retainers and some other characters will also be popping up later.**

 **Oh, yeah, and that cliffhanger. That's a thing, too. More information on that relationship next time.**

 **Let me know what you think - leave a review! Thanks!**


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